Gymnasium apparatus.



R. REACH.

GYMNASIUM APPARATUS APPLIUATION FILED Nov.14, 1911.

Patented- Dec. 3, 1912.

R. REACH.

GYMNASIUM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILBD Nov.14, 1911.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

ROBERT REACH, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE To INTERNATIONALGYMNASIUM SUPPLY COMPANY, OE SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

` GYMNASIU'M APPARATUS.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented' Dec. 3, 1912.

Application led November 14, 1911. Serial No. 660,198.

ture, these fittings being cast in one piece,

, To all wliomvz't may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT REACH, citizenof the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gymnasium Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gymnasium or childrens playground apparatus, andmy object is to provide a simple, effect-ive and inexpensive structure,and particularly to provide a fitting which may be assembled with stockmaterial, such as metallic piping to make up the supporting frame and toprovide the necessary hangers for the attachment of the exercisingdevice.

-The invention consists inthe features and combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view of a gymnasium orplayground structure in which the exercising device consists oftraveling rings suspended by exible connections from the supportmgstructure so that the user may swing himself from ring to ring; Fig. 2is a view of my invention as embodied in connection with swings orswinging rings; Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the fittings with thesuspending roller in place, this roller being adapted to support anVexercising device, the movement of which is transverse in respect to themain beam; Fig. 4 is a.

plan view of the lower cap of this fitting;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a litting, the

roller of which has its axis transverse in respect' to the main beam;Fig. 6 is a detail view of the tting adapted'to connect with a verticalstandard; and Fig. 7 shows the manner of connecting the divergingstandards or braces with the main beam. Fig. 8 is a view of another formof fitting; Fig. 9 is a view of Fig. 8 a quarter turn therefrom; Figs.10 and 11 are Aviews of the roller suspension device; Fig. 12 is a viewlike Fig. 8, but of a fitting adapted for a swinging action in adirection longitudinally of the main beam; Fig. 13 is a view of Fig. 12a quarter turn therefrom.

In these drawings, the main beam or supporting member is indicated at 1,made up of three metallic pipes. These are secured together -byinserting them in fittings 2 arranged at different points along thestruc-- and each having three sockets, one for each' of the metallicpipes which are secured in place by set screws 3. The pipes are arrangedwith two in a lower plane parallel with each other, and with the third-pipe elevated in respect to the pair of pipes, and over the spacebetween them. The fittings have also cast therewith a depending portion4, to which is attached a bearing'por tion 5. The parts 4 and 5 have asubstantially circular opening therein, the inner walls of these partsbeing provided with a rib 6 projecting inwardly, adapted to lit in aperipheral groove 7 of a roller 8, which is provided with laterallyextending ears 9 having openings 10 to receive the suspensionconnections, which consist preferably Of chains 11, the upper end ofsaid chains having diverging portions 12 to connect with the ears 9 oneach side of the roller. In order to fit the roller in place, the cap orlower portion 5 of the fitting is removed from the main portion; theroller is then inserted, and the cap is again bolted to the mainportion. Where, as in Fig. 1, the structure is intended for use withtraveling rings in which the motion Of the exercising device or ring islongitudinal of the framework, the roller is arranged to turn in a planelongitudinally of the structure; but

swing transversely of the structure, the sus pending roller is arrangedwith its axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of 'the main beam. Themain beam may be supported in various ways, but at certain points Iutilize the fittings above described as means of connection with thesupporting standards, for which purpose the fitting which receives thethree tubes or pipes of the main beam is provided with a dependingsocket 13, which receives the upper end of the vertical standard 14, thesaid standard being secured in place by the set screw 15. Divergingstandards, as shown at 16, may be employed, the upper ends of which areheld in sockets 17 of fittings 18 which receive the lower members'of themain beam, and similar diverging standards or braces may be employed atthe ends of the Structure similarly secured by fittings to the extendedends of the lower members ofl the main beams.

It will be observed from the above struc.-v ture that the variousfittings may be furnished to different purchasers or contractors, and bytaking stock material, as the gas ipes or tubing, the entire structuremay e assembled and set up for use.

In Fig. 8I show a form of tting for use with three pipe sections forminga main beam,A like in the forms before described,

but in this instance the fitting is made in three parts, 20, 21 and 22.'The lower member orcap forms a loop-shaped support for the roller, beingribbed as above described to fit the groove in the roller, and

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placed on the supports at any point, and

after. the main supporting structure is set up. As shown, these dividedfittings in the one case shown in Figs. 8 andy 9,5 have their loopsextending in a direction transversely of the pipes or tubes. In thisform the central member of the clamp has a depending projection 24 toact as a retainer for the roller.

In the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the loop for holding lthe rollerextends in a direction parallel with the pipes or tubes.

' v By these fittings the provision is made for supporting either swingsor traveling rings. In the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a

projection 23 .acts as a retainer for the roller. v

The roller is shown in Figs. 10and 11, it having a groove to receive therib on the loop and -having vdepending ears to receive the chains orropes which support the swing.

It will be observed that the4 roller from which the suspendingconnections extend downwardly is held in place in the opening in thelower portion of the itting,the said roller interlocking with the wallof the opening and having a peri heral bearing thereon, no axial bearingeing employed, but instead axial projections are provided for theattachment of the suspending means. The stop 24 in Fig. 8 and 23 inFigs. 12 and 13 is formed separate from the lower portion having theopening for the roller, and thus when the parts are separated therollery can be removed, the stop of course being withdrawn. By providinga squarehole in the depending ear of the roller as shown in Fig. 11, ahook rectangular in cross section may be v'used at the top of thesuspend- -or tubes, ittings to tie the bars to suspension means for anexercismg device ing chain by which the ears are in effect provided withrigid extensions to increase the leverage action'on the roller.-

I vclaim as my invention:

1. In a gymnasium-or like apparatus, a

main beam made upof a plura 1ty of bars connected with the saidl itting,substantially as described.

2.- In a gymnasium or like apparatus, a. main beam made up of aplurality of bars".

or tubes, 'fittings to tie the bars together, said fittingsy beingformed in sections having vresses to receive the bars, means for clamp-1n the members of the fittings to the bars with the said bars betweensaid members,v

and suspension means for an exercising device connected With the lowerportions of the fittings, substantially as described.

3. In combination a beam, a fitting formed4 in sections, clamped to thebeam, and havgether, and

ingV an opening yat its lower end, a roller seated by its periphery inthe'said lower opening, and suspension means attached to theroller,substantially as described.

4. vIn combination a beam, a fitting having an opening at its: lowerportion, a roller seated by its periphery in the opening, suspensionmeans attached, to the roller, and retainer means movable relative tothe opening .in which the roller is seated, said retainer coniining theroller in position when the parts are assembled on the beam, subvstantially as described.

5. In combination with the beam, a fitting thereon having an opening, aroller Aseated in the opening having depending ears with a rectangularopening therein, substan-v tially as described.

6. A ittingor hanger for a gymnasium apparatus-having a socket orsockets'to receive the main beam or member thereof, and` with radepending portion provided with an opening, a roller seated by its perihery in' the said depending portion within t e opening, and suspendlngmeans connected with the roller, substantially as described.

7. A fitting for gymnasium and like ap-l paratus having a socket toreceive a maln bar, and having a depending or hanger por-l tion, a capsecured to the said hanger porf tion and ribbed onv its interior, withmeans for securing said cap in place, and a roller havinglaterallyprojecting ears for the attachment of a suspending means,subst-an tially as described.

8. A 4fitting for gymnasium and like apparatus comprising a main portionto be attached to the mam cross bar, andA having` a hanger portion witha recess therein, a

roller held in said recess, and having a laterally extending ear forattachment to the suspending means, substantially as described.

9. A hanger for gymnasium and like apparatus having an opening withaprojecformed in sections and consisting of the upper, lower andintermediate members having seats for the bars or tubes, and means forsuspending the exercising device therefrom, substantially as described.

l1. In apparatus of the class described, a supporting beam made up of aplurality of bars or tubes, fittings for said bars or tubes formed insections to be clamped thereon, the lower section having a loo dependingtherefrom, a roller mounted 1n the said loop with its periphery bearingthereon, and an, exercising devicev suspended from said roller and meansfor holding the sections together to thereby hold the roller in place.

12. In combination in apparatus of the class described, a supportingbeam, fittings mounted thereon and having depending loops, a retainerarranged over the said loops, rollers mounted in the loopsand conined bythe retainer and exercising devices suspended from the rollers,substantially as described.

13. In combination -in apparatus of the class described, a supportingbeam made up of a vplurality of bars, fittings mounted thereon andformed insections, the lowersection of the fitting having a loop, aroller supported in the loop, an exercising device suspended from theroller and a retainer onone of the sections extending down between themembers of the beam to act as a retainer for the roller, and means forholding the sections together to thereby hold the roller in place,substantially as described.

14. In combination the supporting, beam, a fitting having a loop orsocket, a roller mounted in said socket and having ears extendinglaterally therefrom and depending, and an exercising device suspendedfrom the said ears, substantially as described.

15. In apparatus of the class described, a supporting beam, a fittingmounted thereon comprising a portion to engage the beam, and a lowerremovable portion of substantially semicircular formv and a rollerinterlocking with said portion by its periphery, and held between thesame and theupper portion of the fit-ting, and suspending meansconnected with the said roller, substantially as described.A 4

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

' ROBERT REACH.

Witnesses:

.MILTON REACH,

MAY M. OLWELL.

